La Canadienne local production

True, as a former part-time employee, I might be considered a little biased. But the growing customer base and constant popularity of the products don’t lie.

While the store’s summer collection is imported from Italy and samples the latest trends, boots are their real specialty. It takes over 200 steps to craft one of these handmade beauties. Broken down into basics, it goes like this: first, they start by sketching a pattern on the last, or shoe form; then, they create the pattern; the boot then goes through cutting and stitching, before going back to the last for the finishing stages.

As one of the last remaining Canadian footwear companies that still manufactures their products locally (the factory is on Paré Street, in Montréal), they bear a heavy burden not to give in to the seductive power of “made in China”, and the reduced costs that come with it.

I asked Marisa Pamplona, manager of the flagship store, why the brand’s commitment to local manufacture was so strong. “Our longevity is due to our commitment to producing locally, as well as the quality, consistency and style that we have become known for,” she said.